As the day of the contest was there Harmony had been getting her outfit together while Dawn tried on hers that her mother had sent her with.
"It looks amazing Dawn," Harmony says with a grin looking up from her blue dress she had been sewing a few minor touches to.
"I've never seen this side of you Dawn," Brock says as the group watched Dawn spin around and curtsy.
"Wearing a dress is a new one on me," Ash says sheepishly.
"But Dawn always wears a skirt, which is similar to a dress Ash." Harmony teases, "It's a bit fancier of course but still looks just as lovely."
"Well, what did you expect for a Pokemon Contest?" Dawn says with a wide grin on her face.
"You mean you're all dressed up because it's your first time out?"
"For your information, coordinators in the Sinnoh region always dress up for contests" Dawn points out.
"Exactly, though I always have preferred to dress me and my pokemon up a bit for the performing round." Harmony points out as Sylveon wags her tail happily as she had a bow matching Harmony's dress around her neck. Little rhinestones all around it making it sparkle as it would with what they had planned to do.
"All done!" Harmony says holding her dress up. The blue ruffled dress had minor adjustments she had made by adding in more ribbons around the top, fixing the corset look it had going along with a few of the stitches around it with a sparkly holographic kind thread.
"Wow, that looks amazing!" Dawn says with her eyes sparkling before she turned to her mother who was on the video call, "Thanks again, mom! I just love my new dress!"
"I'm glad you like it and all dear, but I think you need to look in the box I sent you," Johana responds to her daughter.
"Huh?"
"There should have been a choker in that box," Johana says pointing to her own neck as Dawn leans in closer.
"A choker? I didn't see a choker?" Dawn says puzzled.
It was then a pokemon came up to them it's tail extending up towards Dawn with what appeared to be the missing choker. "Oh look at that! Aren't you beautiful!" Harmony says with a grin looking at the cat pokemon. Her Rotom dex quickly flying out to scan the pokemon.
Glameow the catty Pokemon when angry it flashes its claws but also can purr quite affectionately.
"Now what do we have here?" Dawn says leaning in to see what Glameow was holding out to her.
"Now that's your choker!" Johanna says with a bright smile.
"Ah, there you are," A voice is heard walking closer to them.
"Huh? Are you the one who found this?" Dawn asks as the Glameow happily jumps into the girls' arms.
"It was on the floor in the dressing room," the girl tells them.
"But how did you know it was Dawn's?" Brock questions.
"That's easy, matching that to the owner was a breeze, she's the only girl in the complex who is wearing something that would go with it." the girl explains.
"I am? Thank you!" Dawn says taking it as a compliment as she quickly put it on before turning to her mother, "See? I have the choker now so you don't have to worry about a thing!"
"When you tell me not to worry is when I always worry the most," Johanna says sternly to Dawn.
Dawn moved to turn around to thank the girl but she was already gone.
"Sorry Dawn you missed her, maybe you'll see her during the contest?" Harmony offers as she finishes putting her sewing stuff away in her bag.
Johana got Dawn's attention back again, "The last thing you need to be is absentminded in your first contest. So watch out"
"Don't worry!" Dawn says already too psyched up.
"And what do I do the most when you tell me not to worry?"
"Ugh," Dawn says her head hanging low.
"Don't worry, we'll be here, and I'll show her the ropes! Doesn't mean I'll go easy on her, but I won't let her get too distracted." Harmony teases moving to slip an arm around Dawn's shoulder trying to get her to relax and not let what her mother was saying get to her.
"I know I can count on you three." Johana says with a smile, "I'll be glued to the tv so good luck!"
"Okay, mom!" Dawn says nodding as she says her goodbye with her.
It was a little later when Harmony and Dawn were practicing with the battles when they were interrupted by Aipom created a huge star in the sky which confused Slyveon who tripped trying to keep herself from running into the monkey pokemon.
"Huh, well what do you know, Aipom looks like she wants to perform." Harmony says with a laugh moving closer to pet Slyveon's head, "You're fine sweetie. Hey, Ash you willing to try and compete with Aipom? Sometimes doing more than one helps, using a contest move for a gym battle can confuse the gym leaders " she admits, "I sure use combos every once in a while, makes it more fun as we confuse those who don't know the coordinator ways."
"Aipom is that true?"Ash says rushing to his pokemon's side as it cheers on happily. "Wait a second you said I should participate?!" he says finally catching up to what Harmony said getting a weird look on his face.
"Why not?" Dawn says having scooped Piplup up in her arms. "It could be a lot of fun! Just think maybe we'll all end up competing against each other!" Dawn says excitedly.
"Ash you could give it a shot and see what you think, after all, you did compete in the mock on with May before we all went our ways." Brock points out.
"That's the coordinator friend you have who is competing in Johto right?" Harmony asks which Brock nods.
"I guess so?" Ash says trying to think only for Aipom to jump on his shoulder excitedly with Pikachu right behind him "Okay! I'll do it! Well, in that case, that means some more training!"
"And something else too...which neither of you have done." Harmony says fishing her card out of her pocket, "You know, register?"
Dawn's face was in pure horror at her realizing what Harmony had said, "Wah! I totally forgot!" she cried out making Harmony groan.
"I thought you did it when we got back yesterday! That's what I went to do while the guys were getting ready for bed!" Harmony cries out as she follows the panicking Dawn who was rushing to register.
Thankfully they were able to with no issue. "See was that so hard?" Harmony teases.
The lady behind the counter held out a tray to the two, "here are the other items you'll need: a ribbon case, a ball capsule, and the rule book of course!" she explains as Ash goes to pick up the items.
"A ball capsule huh?" he says before pulling the seal out from the envelope.
"Wow, I wonder what that seal is for?" Brock questions.
"You really don't know?" Dawn questions confused. "In the Sinnoh region contests, everyone's Pokemon makes a super dramatic entrance from their pokeballs," she explains.
"Yeah, so like right now I've got Slyveon's ball with it on and the heart one, so when I bring her out the hearts will appear around her before we start our combo moves." Harmony explains fishing the Pokeball out from her belt and showing it to Ash and Brock.
It was later that night when everyone was asleep that Dawn seemingly couldn't sleep which by going out woke Harmony up.
"Dawn?" Harmony mumbles rubbing her eyes and brushing a few bits of hair that had gotten loose from her kalosian braid she did after her shower. "Why aren't you sleepin?"
"Sorry Harmony, I didn't mean to wake you up." Dawn apologizes softly, Piplup and Buneary by her side.
"You nervous? Is that why you're awake, don't worry too much, you need to breathe and just do what you practiced. If you mess up then make it seem like you did something on purpose, " she explains.
"My first pokemon contest went something like that. I nearly tripped, my Blastoise, Blaster, then tried to make sure I was alright just as he was getting hydro cannon going, so I got soaked and my confidence was much lower then. But we got through it and actually made it to the second round but failed in the finals." she explains moving closer to her friend.
"I'm sure your first one won't be as bad as mine, but you really should sleep or it will be."
"Thanks, Harmony, I'm glad you've taken me under your wing so to speak, I feel a lot better now," Dawn says and Harmony pulls the girl into a hug.
"It's no problem at all Dawn, I'm actually glad I get to travel with people, it's been a long time since I've done this. Leon, Raihan, Sonia and I went in a group during my first gym challenge when we met each other at the opening ceremony, groups tend to work better. Now let's get some sleep." Harmony says softly.
"Greetings and a warm welcome to coordinators and fans of all ages. We've all come together for one special reason, and that reason is to see who will take home the Jubilife City Ribbon! Now I know you've all been waiting patiently and now it's time for you to be rewarded" Marian says into the microphone on stage. "We're coming to you live and onstage in Jubilife City" she announces as Ash and Harmony watch from the screen in the back.
Brock races up to them, "I can't find Dawn anywhere!" he states as Harmony and Ash turn around in confusion.
"What? I'll check the dressing room, you guys go look for her elsewhere!" Harmony calls out rushing off with Slyveon hot on her heels as other Coordinators whisper out in confusion about the unknown pokemon she had.
"Dawn?" Harmony calls out, "Oh there you are, you had us worried." she says spotting the girl from before. "Let me guess Dawn was freaking out about her hair or something?" she teases earning a huff from her friend followed by a low-level response. "We never got to introduce ourselves, I'm Harmony Sword, from the Galar region," she explains as Sylveon coos happily from her side. "Oh and this is Sylveon," she explains.
"I'm Zoey, I guess I'll see you in the finals Dawn!" she says with grin walking out which caused Dawn to freak out once more.
"She thinks I'm going to make it to the finals! In my first contest." she bemoans.
"And you will if you get your head on straight." Harmony says with a grin, "C'mon let's go the guys are worried."
"Hey, guys I found her!" Harmony calls out having spotted Ash, "She was having a freak-out, but all is well now!"
They made it to the waiting area where they watched Zoey's performance.
"Wow, she's good" Harmony muses, "But we got this right Sylveon?" earning a grin from her partner before her number was called. "Back in the ball," she says returning her pokemon.
"Wish me luck!" she says tossing a wink towards her group of friends while Chu, her Pikachu sat on Brock's shoulder cheering loudly.
Once onstage Harmony grins tossing her Pokeball up in the air gracefully, "Slyveon time to shine!" she calls out.
Her Slyveon appears in a bunch of hearts surrounding her with a happy cry.
"Let's start with combo 2!" she calls out her pokemon shooting of a Dazzling Gleam followed by a and Shadow Ball creating sparkles that she jumped into earning an awe rom the judges and audience. Obviously none of them had ever seen the Fairy-type before and were awe-struck by its beauty.
"Alright let's wrap it up with our finale!" Harmony calls out her pokemon nodding happily and charging up a moon blast before releasing it and a shadow ball straight after it, this time creating fireworks all around the stage and over the audience as Slyveon posed, her ribbons wiggling happily and the gems around her ribbon around her neck sparkling.
"Showing off her pokemon in such a way made a great performance" Mr. Contesta states.
"Remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo states.
"And an awesome balance of showing off the strength of her pokemon and the beauty that her pokemon has!" Nurse Joy states as Harmony curtsied her Sylveon rushing over and wrapping her ribbon feelers around her happily making her giggle.
"Thank you so much!" she says as they walk off the stage, Ash was right after her, followed by Dawn.
"Wow, my heart was beating like a giant base drum up there, glad it all went so quick," Dawn says as she meets back up with Harmony, Brock, and Ash.
"You did amazing Dawn, I think the judges like it a lot," Harmony says encouragingly.
"Dawn you were awesome!" Ash says.
"You should be feeling pretty good." Brock states.
Dawn sighs and falls to her knees in relief, "I guess I should be, but…"
"Dawn are you okay?" Ash asks worried.
Dawn starts giggling, "I'm just messing with you! I guess I'm just finally relieved that it's over," she points out as Zoey moves to help her up.
"Oh! Hi Zoey!"
"It's a little too soon to be relieved yet though isn't it?" Zoey points out, "We still have to meet in the finals don't we?"
"Not if I get there first." Harmony teases, "I can't wait to hopefully battle you, Zoey," she grins.
"And now it's time for the judges' results!" Mariam says on screen and everyone turns to look at it. "So here are the coordinators who are moving along to the next round!"